Composition of matter for plasters



No Drawing.

I To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES;

PATENT union.

EDMUND MORSE POND, 0E RUTLAND, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR, ZBY MESNE.ASSIGNMENTS,

1 TO KATHERINE B. POND, OF RUTIJAND, VERMONT.

COMPOSITION OF MATTER FOB PLASTERS, OINTMENTS, &o.

Be it known that I, EDMUND Monsn Form, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Rutland, county of Rutland,

State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compositions of Matter for Plaster-s, 'Ointments', &c., of which the following is a specification.

5 My invention relates to compositions of matter suitable for plasters .or ointmentsand comprises a compound. which, while sufiiciently soft and flexible at ordina body and atmospheric temperatures, wil

not run at the higher temperatures of the body of a fever patient. The feature. of

permanent solidity under these conditions is due to the inclusion of starch in the formula, and has been attained onlyafter years of experiment in. hospital and private practice with compositionsof the general character herein set out. My preferred formula,

for general use. includes the following ingredients in substantially the proportions set out, by. weight:

Gelatin 24 parts. Glycerin 64 Boric acid 1 .Starch '9 The proportion of starch may be varied are employed.

The preferred method of forming a plaster out of my improved composition of matter is the followmg: I add two ounds of cold water to one and a half poun sof gelatin and stir well, allowing the mixture to stand until the water is thoroughly absorbed by the gelatin. To this I then add four pounds of glycerin and one ounce of boric acid, and boil the mixture in a water bath for about four hours, until the gelatin is entirely dissolved. I then add the nine or ten ounces of commercial starch, such as is used for laundry purposes, which has been first dissolved in one quart of cold water." This (igelatin-glycerin-starch solution is then raise to the boiling point, and kept ima state of ebullition for three or four minutes. According to my present understanding this Specification of Letters Patent.

oughly cook the starch and thicken it with Patented May 27, 1919. Application filed August 5, 1914. Serial No. 855,304.

the glycerin compound. Thereafter the compound is allowed to stand over the'water bath for about two hours. It is thenallowed.

to slightly cool, if volatile oils or other medication is to be added, so as not to evaporate them. For'some purposes I employ, as such medication, for example,-twenty-five drops of oil of mustard, two drams of capsicum, and seven ounces of methyl salicylatewhich are thoroughly. stirred into the mixture at this time.

I then place on a suitable frame a layer of white paper waxed on one side, with the unwaxed side uppermost, then a layer of cotton Wadding, and on that a layerof gauze. The composition produced as above described is then poured hot on these layers of fabric and rubbed'through the gauze and cotton to the paper. After a few minutes the whole mass hardens sufficiently to permit of its being taken from th frame. The plaster is then-allowed to dry about four days before being acked forcommercial use. Before applymg the plaster to the patients body it should be slightly heated.

For thin plasters, the cotton may be omitted.

Among the advantages of this plaster may be mentioned the fact that while it remains soft, moist and flexible while in contact with the body, it will not run over the person or clothing, nor will it become too soft in the hottest weather. Being solid in body, it holds medication well, and even the most volatile constituents, such as oil of mustard, will 'not escape from' it either in manufac ture, storage, or use. -It is slightly adhesive when heated, thus aiding in holding itself in placeon the patients body, and yet it is soft as a oultice and holds the most volatile oils -ordinary temperatures. of the atmos ere and that of the flesh of thepatient to w ich is the givingof body or solidity thug at it is applied. The proportion of gelatin 7 should be high enough to effect this without producing hardness. As a result it enables the compound to serve as a matrix for holding the glycerin and other 'medicaments,

from which matrix they may be given up for absorption by the pores of the patients body.

when the plaster is put into use.

The function or" the starch is partly to assist in the above described actiombut principally to prevent the compound from liquetying by the absorption of moisture from the atmosphere or from the pores of the paobjects. lVhen the starch is ended in proper I proportion these last mentioned diiiiculties are avoided Without interfering with the releasing of the medicaments for their desired therapeutic action when the plaster is ap plied to a patients body.

Having, therefore, described my invention, I claim:

1. A plaster designed to serve as a matrix for medicaments which comprises a mixture of gelatin, glycerin and starch the gelatin occurring in suiliciently large proportion to give the mixture solidity Without hardness at ordinary atmospheric temperatures, and the starch occurring in the completed mixture as boiled starch and in suificiently large rsoasoo proportion to prevent the plaster liquefying by absorption of moisture from the atmosphere or from the body of the patient. 5

2. A plaster such as set forth in claim 1, -which also contains 'a preservative componentsuch as boric acid.

3. A plaster designed to serve as a matrix for medicaments Which comprises gelatin, glycerin and starch intimately comniingled and boiled together, the gelatin occurring in sufficiently large proportion to give the mixture solidity Without hardness at ordinary atmospheric temperatures, and the starch occurring in suiiiciently large proportion to prevent the plaster liquefying by absorptioniof moisture from the atmosphere or from the body of the patient.

4. A plaster such as set forth in claim 3 which also contains a fermentation prevent ing component such as boric acid.

5. As an article of manufacture a medical plaster comprising the following elements intimately commingled and boiled together in approximately the following proportions: gelatin, 2-1 parts; glycerin, 6a parts; starch,

10 parts.

EDMUND MORSE POND. lVitnesses JAMES A. MURRILL, FRANK D. VVTHITE. 

